Transportation cart

ABSTRACT

Transportation cart having side walls pivotally mounted for swinging motion toward and away from each other from a position in which they are parallel to each other, so that two or more carts can be inserted in each other so as to occupy so little storage space as possible.

United States Patent 1191 Lundstriim et al.

Filed:

Appl. No.: 400,350

TRANSPORTATION CART Inventors: Rickard Verner Lundstriim,

Stockholm; Curt Lennart Lagerstrfim, Huddinge; Gunnar Savfis, Vallingby,all of Sweden Assignee: Kommanditbolaget Rigulag AB &

Co., Stockholm, Sweden Sept. 24, 1973 Foreign Application Priority DataSept. 28, 1972 Sweden 12531/72 Nov. 10, 1972 Sweden 14626/72 US. Cl280/3399 H; 280/793 Int. CI. .L. B62B 3/02 Field of Search..... 280/3399R, 33.99 H, 79.1,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Heimbruch 280/3399 R Nov. 18,1975 3,197,224 2/1965 Kappen 280/3399 H 3,420,379 1/1969 Berryman280/793 3,552,761 1/1971 sj61 16m 280/79.l 3,746,358 7/1973 Swick280/793 3,782,746 1/1974 Isaacs 280/3399 11 3,810,648 5/1974 Hallenius280/3399 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 482,571 1/1970 Germany280/3399 R 1,169,317 11/1969 Sweden 280/3399 Primary Examiner-PhilipGoodman Assistant Examiner-John A. Carroll Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Bucknam and Archer [57] ABSTRACT Transportation cart having sidewalls pivotally mounted for swinging motion toward and away from eachother from a position in which they are parallel to each other, so thattwo or more carts can be inserted in each other so as to occupy solittle storage space as possible.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheetlof 103,920,258

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US. Patent Nov. 18, 1 95 Sheet2 of 10 3,920,258

US. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet3of 10 3,920,258

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 4 of 10 FIG. 4

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l 1 l E o o o 6 5 0 US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet6of 10 3,920,258

U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 8 of 10 U.S. Patent Nov. 18,1975Sheet90f 10 3,920,258

F/GJO U.S. PEltfiIlt Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet 10 0f 10 3,920,258

TRANSPORTATION CART This invention relates to transportation carts,preferably for the transportation of goods in store-rooms and the like,of the type having pivotal side walls and insertible one into the otherso as to occupy little space when empty.

Previously known transportation carts of this type are provided with aframe to which the wheels carrying the cart are fastened. For renderingthe carts insertible one into the other the frame isparallel-trapezoidal such that the wheel track width at one end of thecart is smaller than the cart width. This gives rise to instability andinvolves the risk of the cart tilting over when transporting large loadsof relatively great height. Moreover, such a cart having a separateframe will be heavy and expensive in manufacture as compared with thesimplified transportation cart suggested by the present invention. Inother previously known transportation carts the side walls pivoted to arear wall carry the transport wheels. This will certainly eliminate therisk of the cart tilting over but will require the provision of anadditional part in the form of a rear wall which has to be provided withpivot means at each vertical edge whereby the side walls can bepivotally mounted to said end wall.

In transportation carts of this type the two pivotal side walls whichcarry the transport wheels are interconnected by means of anintermediate portion either in the form of a beam, a third wall or wallportions integral with the side walls and hinged to each other. Theseembodiments fully eliminate the drawbacks from which suffer the knowntransportation carts of the type contemplated.

It has proved, however, that designing the intermediate portion inaccordance with the features defined by the appended claims will providea significant improvement of the transportation cart both in point offunction and convenience in handling the cart. Moreover, the cart willbe economical in manufacture.

It is desired to arrange in transportation carts an additional wall orside member opposite the rear wall which has the side walls pivotallymounted thereon. Hitherto, such an additional wall has been mountedseparately to the cart or pivotally suspended at the free edge of oneside wall. Such a wall, however, is bulky, heavy and unwieldy, whetherit is a separate unit or suspended on the cart. It will also be ratherexpensive.

Thus, it is also an object of the present invention to provide, forexample in the described type of transportation carts, such anadditional wall or side member which can be directly brought intoposition of use without the need of special mounting means or measures.It should be observed that the invention is not restricted solely tosuch a use of the wall or side member. Thus, the wall or side memberaccording to the invention can be used in all types of containers,portable baskets etc., having side walls which may be swung closed. Tothis end, the invention has been given the characteristic featuresdefined in the appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention will now be more fully describedhereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the transportation cart with loweredbottom but with one side wall swung outwardly from normal position ofuse;

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the transporta- I tion cart with theside walls swung outwardly and the bottom raised;

FIG. 3 shows still another embodiment of the transportation cart in aposition corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows three transportation carts according to the inventioninserted into each other;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of thetransportation cart;

FIG. 6 shows two transportation carts inserted one into the other, ofthe type illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show perspective views of still further embodiments ofthe transportation cart;

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a transportation cart having onewall;

FIG. 11 shows a top plan view of the transportation cart in FIG. 10.

The transportation cart illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises two side walls 1and 2 which are pivotally interconnected by means of a rigidintermediate portion 3 in the form of a third wall 3". Two transportwheels 6 which may be in the form of casters are disposed at the bottomof this third wall 3 at the ends of a beam 3'. Another transport wheel5, preferably in the form of a caster, is arranged at the lower cornerof the respective side wall opposite to the beam 3'. In the embodimentillustrated a rectangular bottom 4 is pivoted to the third wall 3". Inlowered position the bottom 4 engages hook means (one is shown at 9)provided at the lower ends of the side walls so that the walls arelocked parallel to one another against being swung outwardly and so thatthe transportation cart will become a rigid unit, ready for use. Whenthe transportation cart is to be inserted into another transportationcart the bottom 4 is raised, whereby the side walls are released foroutward swinging. The bottom 4 is locked in a suitable way in theupwardly swung position; a hook 8 for this purpose is illustrated inFIG. 1.

When only two side walls 1, 2 are needed in the transportation cart, thethird wall of the cart may be replaced by a rigid beam, for example astrong beam (not shown) corresponding to the beam 3 and carryingsuitable means for pivotally connecting the side walls 1, 2 to saidbeam. In this case, the bottom 4 may be pivoted to one of the side walls1, 2 or to the beam 3', and in lowered position fixes the walls withrespect to one another by hooks or like means.

In FIG. 2 the transportation cart is shown comprising the two side walls1, 2, the rectangular bottom 4, and the third wall 3" to which the sidewalls are hinged for outward swinging movement. The third wall 3",however, is devoid of a beam 3' and the transport wheels 6 are directlyfastened to the lower corners of the side walls.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the transportation cart according tothe invention. Here, the side walls are rigidly connected each with onehalf 3" of the third wall. The halves 3" are pivoted to each other alongthe free edges, at 10. All transport wheels 5, 6 are provided on theside walls 1, 2 and in this embodiment the bottom 4 is pivoted to one ofthese side walls and in lowered position interlocks said side wallsparallel to each other by the provision of suitable locking means.

FIG. 4 show three transportation carts designed like the cart describedwith reference to FIG. 1, inserted into each other.

As indicated by broken lines in FIG. I, an additional wall 7 may bepivoted to any one of the side walls 1, 2.

The wall 7, in addition to being pivotal to a position in which itconstitutes a wall for the transportation cart, may also be pivoted to aposition parallel tothe side wall by which it is supported, either onthe outside as shown in the drawing or on the inside of said side wall,or it may be placed in the plane of extension of the side wall so as torender the carts insertible one into the other.

The extent of the outward pivoting movement of the side walls 1, 2 fromthe position of use, in which the side walls 1, 2 are parallel to eachother, may be limited by suitable stops in the form of studs or likemeans arranged on the side walls 1, 2 and/or the intermediate portion 3.The configuration of said stops may be varied in a great many differentways within the scope of the experts skill and fall outside the presentinvention.

As previously mentioned, the rectangular bottom 4 may be locked inraised position against a side wall 1, 2 or the intermediate portion 3by a hook 8 or like means. The hook may be a snap-action hook which,when the side walls are moved together to a position in which they areparallel to each other and thus perpendicular to the intermediateportion 3, is released automatically by a suitable mechanism'so that thebottom 4 I by gravity falls down into the horizontal position.

The transportation cart has been shown and described in embodimentshaving four transport wheels, each pair of which in the position of use,that is with parallel side walls 1, 2, has the same wheel track width.However, it is self-explanatory that,if deemed sufficient, an embodimenthaving three transport wheels may be chosen. In this case, theintermediate portion 3 is equipped with but one transport wheel disposedmidway between the side walls. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 abracket can be disposed on one of the wall portions 3" and extendinwardly below an assumed extension of the pivot axis 10. The thirdtransport wheel is fastened to said bracket.

The cart shown in FIG. 5 comprises two side walls 11 and 12 each ofwhich may be equipped with two trans-.

port wheels, and a bottom 16. Each transport wheel is fastened to theside wall 11 and 12, respectively, by means of a plate 15. The extent ofthe respective plate 15 must be such that it will not prevent theinsertion of carts into each other, which will appear from FIG. 6. Thetransport wheels may preferably be in the form of casters.

The side walls 11 and 12, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, are interconnectedby the intermediate portion 13 which is secured rigidly so as not toallow torsion to the respective side wall in an extension of onevertical edge of the wall, or in the present instance the frame portion17. The intermediate portion consists of a resilient metal band of acertain height. The lower edge of the metal band must not extend belowthe uppermost horizontal parts of the side walls in order not to preventinsertion of the cart into another cart, as will appear from FIG. 6. Theresilience of the intermediate portion 13 is such as to tend to pull theside walls into an oblique position permitting insertion of the cartsinto each other.

The rectangular bottom may be pivoted to the lower end of one of theside walls 1 1 and 12 and can be raised and locked in inoperativeposition along the side wall to which the bottom is fastened. This willmake the insertion of the carts into each other possible.

In lowered position the bottom 16 locks the side walls 11 and 12 in afixed position parallel to each other with the aid of the hooks 9,clamps or the like. In this position the bottom 16 will supplement themetal band 13 as a further intermediate portion and prevent the. side.walls 11 and 12 from taking a vertically inclined position to eachother. In raised position of the bottom 16, when the cart is unloaded,the rigidity of the metal band is sufficient to prevent said obliquepositioning or slanting vertically.

To prevent, however, that the cart in unloaded state I and with raisedbottom 16 will have the possibility of warping, that is the side wallstwist in relation to each other about the longitudinal axis of theintermediate portion 13, each side wall 11, 12 is provided at the lowerend in conjunction with the plates 15 arranged at those edges of theside walls which may be brought closer to each other, with some kind ofpin and claw 18, respectively, which will engage one another when theside walls 11, 12 are swung inwardly. This implies that the plates 15and thus the side walls 11,, 12' are fixed vertically withrespect toeach other.

The cart can be equipped with a third wall 7 corresponding to that shownin FIG. 1.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a further embodiment of the cart according tothe invention. In this embodiment the intermediate portion has beendivided into tworesilient metal bands 13 and 13", which are fastenedrigidly so.

as not to allow torsion to the respective side walls 11 and 12.'By thisconfiguration the upper intermediate portion 13' can be made lower thanthe intermediate portion 13 for instance according to FIG. 5. As aresult, the total height of the cart can be made smaller than that ofthe cart in FIG. 5 although the height of the side walls is the same,and an oblique positioning of the side walls 11, 12 vertically inrelation to each other is effectively prevented.

To allow insertion of the carts according to FIG. 7

into each other the intermediate portion 13' lies altogether above theupper edges of the side walls 11, 12, and in each side wall at a levelwith the intermediate portion 13 horizontal grooves or recesses 19. are

formed, which are open at the free edge of the respective side wall 11and 12, said grooves or recesses extending to the opposite edge of theside wall, in the present instance the side wall frame 20. The groove inthe respective side wall 11 and 12 shall, of course, have a heightcorresponding at least to the height of the intermediate portion 13".

When two carts of the type shown in FIG. 7 are inserted one into theother the intermediate portions 13 and 13" of one cart will moverespectively over the upper edge of the side walls of the other cart andinto the grooves 19 of said other cart.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of part of a cart, more precisely oneside wall 12 thereof. As shown, this cart is provided with anintermediate portion 13' in the form of a resilient metal band rigidlyarranged in respect of torsion, as viewed in height level, approxiand 12may be arranged freely upstanding (only one intermediate portion 13 viaan upright 22. Since the side walls will thus at the upper ends have thepossibility of moving resiliently outwards and inwards the side walls ofa fully loaded transportation cart may be urged toward one another andthe load with the aid of tightening bands or like means (not shown). Byfurther making the bottom 16 slightly narrower than the intended load,for example standard packages, and the width of the intermediateportion, respectively, the side walls 11 and 12 can be displacedentirely parallel to one another, thereby effectively locking the loadin the cart.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 it is of course also possible toposition the intermediate portions in the manner shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.In this case, the grooves or recesses in the side walls 11 and 12 willextend from the free edge of the respective wall up to the vertical wallframe part adjacent the upright 22.

Within the scope of the invention, the intermediate portion 13 may ofcourse be made rigid and fixedly secured in the side walls, but capableof articulating for instance along a plane drawn through the verticalline of symmetry of the cart. Moreover, the intermediate portion 13 maybe made rigid and be hinged to the side walls.

In accordance with the invention, an additional wall generallydesignated 26 is provided in a transportation cart with two side walls23 and 24 which can be swung about a flexible rear portion 25' towardsone another (FIG. 11) from a transport position in which the side walls23, 24 are parallel to each other (FIG. The transportation cart iscarried by wheels 28 (FIG. 11) fastened to plates 27 in the side walls23 and 24, re-

spectively. Moreover, the cart has a bottom 29 which can be raisedagainst one side wall 23, said bottom being shown lowered into transportposition in FIG. 10.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 the wall 26 consists oftwo uprights 30 fastened each to one side wall 23, 24 by bolts or likemeans. The respective upright 30 is provided with a plurality ofhorizontal rigid rods 31 which, when the side walls 23, 24 are parallel,lie in the same plane at right angles to the side walls (FIG. 10). Therods 31 are somewhat longer than half the width of the wall 26, that isin the present instance the width of the transportation cart. The rods31 which are secured at their one ends to an upright 30 are united attheir other free ends by means of a bar 32 welded to the inner side ofthe rods 31.

As will appear from the Figures the bar 32 which is connected to oneupright 30 via the rods 31 will be situthe rods 31. The wall 26 can thustake up loads greater than the loads which the respective wall sectionis able to take up individually. By their combined action the bars 32will automatically form a stop or limit means for the outward swingingmovement of the side walls As. previously mentioned, the uprights 30 arescrewed tolthe side walls 23 and 24, the additional wall according tothe. invention being, if desired, simply dismountedllt goes withoutsaying that the rods 31 may "also be directly secured in the freevertical frame portion of the respective side wall, which will give awall that is permanently fastened to the cart.

Instead of arranging the respective bar 32 on the inner side of the rods31, as shown in the Figures, the respective bar may be directly fastenedto the end surfaces of the rods 31. To make the relative movementbetween the sections of the wall 26 possible, the ends of the rods 31with the bars 32 attached thereto will in that case have to be bentinwardly to such an extent that the respective bar 32 will be situatedentirely inside a plane along the inner sides of the rods 31.

The rigid rods 31 may also be arranged in such a way as to extend in aplane making with the respective side wall 23, 24 an angle slightlysmaller than When said additional wall 26 and the side walls 23, 24 areloaded and thereby bent outwardly the angle will then become about 90,whereby the wall 26 will be put under bias. Since the rods 32, when theside walls are parallel, already engage each other in the non-loadedcondition of the walls, the bars 32 when loaded will still furthercombine their effects, thus rigidifying the wall 26.

Within the scope of the present invention, use can be made of rigidbands instead of rods, and it is also conceivable to use soft orflexible bands. This is possible particularly when the additional wallextends horizon,- tally.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A transportationcart having two vertical side walls which, when in operative position,are parallel to each other and swingable toward and away from eachother, along one edge thereof, and a third wall, each side wall beingrigidly connected to one half of the third wall, said halves of saidthird wall-being hingedly connected along the edge opposite to the edgewhich is connected to said side walls, said cart having wheel means fortransportation of said cart, means for providing a bottom swingablymounted on one of said vertical side walls, each of said wheel meansbeing mounted in a comer at the underside of said walls, each side wallcarrying one of said wheel means at the furthest moving corner, andmeans for locking said swingable side walls in cooperative relation withsaid bottom when the latter is in its horizontal position, said saidcart being insertable in a like cart for storage when the cart is in anupright position with the bottom in a vertical position.

2. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side wallsare provided with locking means which engage each other when the sidewalls are swung toward one another.

3. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lockingmeans is a claw-like portion arranged in one side wall and a pin-likeportion in the other side wall.

4. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein all of thetransport wheels of the cart are disposed at the side walls.

5. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cart has abottom which is vertically raisable into engagement with one of the sidewalls and which in lowered position interlocks the side walls inparallel relationship.

. 3,9 20,258 Y 7 8 r a 6. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1 l1 t th 1 I f the wherein an additional wall is pivoted to one of theside mm para 6 re a Ions w] or m o e p ane o walls in such a way that atthe insertion of the transporside wall to which it is pivoted tationcart in a similar cart said additional wall is swung

1. A transportation cart having two vertical side walls which, when inoperative position, are parallel to each other and swingable toward andaway from each other, along one edge thereof, and a third wall, eachside wall being rigidly connected to one half of the third wall, saidhalves of said third wallbeing hingedly connected along the edgeopposite to the edge which is connected to said side walls, said carthaving wheel means for transportation of said cart, means for providinga bottom swingably mounted on one of said vertical side walls, each ofsaid wheel means being mounted in a corner at the underside of saidwalls, each side wall carrying one of said wheel means at the furthestmoving corner, and means for locking said swingable side walls incooperative relation with said bottom when the latter is in itshorizontal position, said said cart being insertable in a like cart forstorage when the cart is in an upright position with the bottom in avertical position.
 2. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1,wherein the side walls are provided with locking means which engage eachother when the side walls are swung toward one another.
 3. Atransportation cart as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locking means isa claw-like portion arranged in one side wall and a pin-like portion inthe other side wall.
 4. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1,wherein all of the transport wheels of the cart are disposed at the sidewalls.
 5. A transportation cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carthas a bottom which is vertically raisable into engagement with one ofthe side walls and which in lowered position interlocks the side wallsin parallel relationship.
 6. A transportation cart as claimed in claim1, wherein an additional wall is pivoted to one of the side walls insuch a way that at the insertion of the transportation cart in a similarcart said additional wall is swung into parallel relationship with, orinto the plane of, the side wall to which it is pivoted.